Why Denny Hamlin thinks NASCAR drivers should make 'NBA, NFL money'

The financials of NASCAR and its teams are changing, and that’s nothing new. But how the distribution of money coming in works needs to be re-examined and drivers should get a larger share – at least according to Denny Hamlin.

The No. 11 Toyota driver said based on the danger of the sport and the length of the February-to-November season, drivers “should be making NBA, NFL money.” But he’s not looking for the owners to foot the bill.

Instead, he suggested redoing the distribution of TV rights fees revenue – tracks get 65 percent, teams get 25 percent and NASCAR gets 10 percent, according to USA TODAY Sports – with tracks proving they deserve such a large share through renovations. NBC and FOX split the broadcasts for the Cup Series.

“The pie has to be shifted for sure,” Hamlin said at a charity event Wednesday morning to promote International Walk to School Day with sponsor FedEx. “The TV dollars coming into NASCAR is higher than it’s ever been, but we’re seeing fewer and fewer teams, and it just can’t survive. So it economically doesn’t make sense. The pie, the amount of TV money that the race teams share, has to go up, in my opinion.” …

Asked whether decreasing driver salaries was a way to address team financials, Hamlin replied “you’ve got the wrong guy to ask me on that, because I think we’re way underpaid on that as race car drivers. That’s a fact. I think there’s no doubt doing what we do, the schedule we have, the danger we incur every single week, NASCAR drivers should be making NBA, NFL money. …”

Bringing in $15.2 million, Hamlin was the third-highest paid driver in 2016, according to Forbes. However, that number factors in sponsorship deals, which he said he hopes teams will be less reliant on for survival. Cup Series champion Jimmie Johnson was the highest-paid driver at $21.8 million, and Dale Earnhardt Jr. was second with $21.1 million.

But Hamlin also said he’s not only talking about the highest-paid drivers on the track, adding: “I’m including probably the back half of the field that those drivers are risking the same amount I am, and they should be paid a hell of a lot more.”

The Joe Gibbs Racing driver’s perspective is a bit different than that of Earnhardt, who explained this summer why he thinks it’s a good thing younger drivers are accepting smaller paychecks. Junior’s argument is more about comparing today’s salaries to the good ol’ days, while Hamlin seems focused on redistributing money that already exists.

I found this on FTW and wanted to share:
%link%
For more great sports stories ...
*visit For The Win: https://www.ftw.usatoday.com
*follow @ForTheWin: https://www.twitter.com/forthewin
*like FTW on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/usatodayftw